Baseball die



LSI'HL'S L. w. GREENE BASEBALL DIE Filed Sept. 13. 1923 LAWSON W.GREENE, OF IVIOORESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

BASEBALL DIE.

Application filed September T 0 all whom "it may concern:

Be'it known that I, Lawson W. GRnnNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mooresboro, in the county of Cleveland and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BaseballDies, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to adevice for playing indoors an imaginary game of base ball.

Various devices and arrangements have heretofore been proposed forthe-playing of indoor base ball, but all such apparatus of which I amaware has been more or less complicated, and has involved the use of agame board, large number of movable parts, difiicult sets of rules,etc., and for these reasons, has not met with great success.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an exceedinglysimple apparatus,

consisting of but a single device or element,

by means of which, and without the aid of a game board, substantiallyall the plays of regular base ball can be represented, and the playsgoverned by almost the same rules that contro the national game.

The single device which I employ consistsof a ball or die in the form ofa regular polyhedron having an even number of sides or faces. ()n thesefaces are placed symbols indicative of the different plays, the symbolon the uppermost or horizontal face being that which determines theparticular play which is considered.

T have found that a solid of twelve sides or faces is capable ofcontaining suflicient symbols to represent all of the usual playsencountered in an actual game, and to enable a complete and interestingcontest to be carried on. I have also found that the twelve sided solidmown as a rhombic dodecahedron is admirably suited to the purpose, andthis constitutes the preferred form of the invention.

The accompanying drawing is a perspective view of a rhomblc dodecahedronbearing symbols on its faces in accordance with the invention.

The dodecahedron A is shown as resting 13, 1923. Serial no. 662,410.

upon a table B, or the like, and it will be seen that the device hastwelve equal similar diamond shaped faces .a arranged in diametricallyopposite pairs. On these faces are printed, out or engraved thefollowing symbols having meanings as given below 2- R. meaning home run.

ST. meaning strike.

BLL. meaning ball.

1 B. H. meaning one base hit.

2 B. H. meaning two base hit.

3 B. H. meaning three base hit.

FL. meaning foul.

S. F. meaning sacrifice fly.

' S. H. meaning sacrifice hit.

D. P. meaning double play.

T. P. meaning triple play.

C. S. meaning caught stealing.

To play the game, the players are divided into two sides or teams, eachconsisting of frgm oneto nine players. The first player of the team atbat rolls the ball or die on any smooth surface, and when it comes torest, the symbol on the uppermost face is noted. Let us assume that thissymbol is ST., thus making one strike. The said player rolls-again, thistime, let us say, registering F L, which foul, in accordance with therules of the national game, is counted as a strike, thus making twostrikes. He rolls again, registering, say 1 B. H., thus entitling him tofirst base. The second player on the same team then rolls the ball,registering, let us say, 3 B. H., the first time. This places him onthird base, and, it will be assumed,

scores the first player, since the rules will provide that whenever aplayer at bat rolls either a three base hit, or a home run, it serves toscore all of the men on bases at the time.

Then, with the second player assumed to be on third base, a third playerrolls the ball, and registers,.say, D. P. This double play counts boththe batter and runner out. A fourth player now rolls, registering, wewill suppose, 2 B. H. Then a fifth: layer rolls the ball, and we willassume that t e symbol S. F. appears on the uppermost face. This countsthe batter out, as-in the regular game, and would ordinarily advance allrunners one base. In the present supposed case, however, as there werealready two out, the

play S. F. makes three out and retires the side at bat, withoutadditional scores.

From the above, it will be seen that each player continues to roll theball until he is either counted out or is entitled to a base, and theplayers of one team roll successively until there are three out. Theother team or side then comes to bat, and plays in a similar manner. Ifthere are not enough players on a side to successively carry out theplays, the one or more players representing each team continues to rolluntil three are counted out, when the player or players constituting theopposing team takes the ball.

As above stated, the rules for playing my indoor game follow closelythose oflthe national game, so that it seems unnecessary to describe indetail the effect of all of the above listed twelve plays on the batterand on the base runners. The only point which appears to re uireexplanation is in re ard to the symbo C. S. This play, caug t stealingserves to put out the runner nearest home, but the batter continues toroll, unless there were already two out.

Nine innin constitute a complete game,

except that, i the score is tied at the end of nine innings, the gameshould be continued until one side wins on equal innings.

A diagram of a base ball diamond, and coins or buttons to indicate theposition of the runners may be used in connection with my improved ballif desired, but, owin to the extreme simplicity of the device, havefound that any one familiar with the national game of baseball has nodifliculty in keeping track of the successive plays, and remember-' ingthe scores, without the aid of any game board or diagram whatever.Therefore, the single piece consisting of my improved ball or dieconstitutes the entire apparatus required to play the game, and as thismay be readily carried around in the pocket, it may be produced, and aninteresting game played by two or more persons at an time or place.simply by throwing or ro ling the ball on a floor, table, or othersmooth surface.

My improved ame, played as above described, besides being fascinating,provides excellent mental training for the young.

What I claim is A device for use in playing an imaginary game of baseball consistin of a single die in the form of a rhombic do ecahedronhaving twelve similar faces, on each and every one of which faces isformed a symbol to indicate a certain definite play, all of said symbolsbeing diiferent.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LAWSON W. GREENE.

